RENO COUNTY —Authorities say an electrical device is responsible for a fire at a Kansas home early Monday.

Just before 3 a.m., crews responded to a fire at a home at 413 Crescent Blvd in Hutchinson, according to Battalion Chief Rex Albright.

The fire was located in the front living area of the home and extinguished quickly by fire crews.  The homeowner was alerted by audible devices within the home and made an attempt to extinguish the fire with a home fire extinguisher. 

 The homeowner escaped through an adjoining bedroom window to safety.  One animal did perish during the fire out of five total pets in the structure, according to Albright.

 Fire damage was contained to the area of origin however smoke damage was present on the 1st level of the home.  Crews remained on scene for two hours conducting overhaul and investigation. The investigation determined the fire started in an electrical device in the living room. The homeowner was checked by RCEMS for smoke inhalation and was released on scene.&nbsp; Authorities have not released a damage estimate.

RENO COUNTY —Authorities say an electrical device is responsible for a fire at a Kansas home early Monday.Just before 3 a.m., crews responded to a fire at a home at 413 Crescent Blvd in Hutchinson, according to Battalion Chief Rex Albright.The fire was located in the front living area of the home and extinguished quickly by fire crews. The homeowner was alerted by audible devices within the home and made an attempt to extinguish the fire with a home fire extinguisher. The homeowner escaped through an adjoining bedroom window to safety. One animal did perish during the fire out of five total pets in the structure, according to Albright. Fire damage was contained to the area of origin however smoke damage was present on the 1st level of the home. Crews remained on scene for two hours conducting overhaul and investigation. The investigation determined the fire started in an electrical device in the living room. The homeowner was checked by RCEMS for smoke inhalation and was released on scene.&nbsp; Authorities have not released a damage estimate.

Homeowner escapes Kan. house fire through bedroom window

LONDON (AP) — Shipments of the coronavirus vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech were delivered Sunday in the U.K. in super-cold containers, two days before it goes public in an immunization program that is being closely watched around the world.

Around 800,000 doses of the vaccine were expected to be in place for the start of the immunization program on Tuesday, a day that Health Secretary Matt Hancock has reportedly dubbed as “V-Day,” a nod to triumphs in World War II.

“To know that they are here, and we are amongst the first in the country to actually receive the vaccine and therefore the first in the world, is just amazing,” said Louise Coughlan, joint chief pharmacist at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, just south of London.

“I’m so proud,” she said after the trust, which runs Croydon University Hospital, took delivery of the vaccine.

Last week, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-authorizes-vaccine-emergency-use-ea0170c978eb281a905866e5bd78bbdf">U.K. became the first country to authorize the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine</a>&nbsp;for emergency use. In trials, the vaccine was shown to have around 95% efficacy. Vaccinations will be administered starting Tuesday at around 50 hospital hubs in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also begin their vaccination rollouts the same day.

Governments and health agencies around the world will be monitoring the British vaccination program, which will take months, to note its successes and failures and adjust their own plans accordingly. The U.S. hopes to start vaccinations later this month. British regulatory authorities are also examining data on the vaccines from American biotechnology company Moderna and AstraZeneca-Oxford University.

Russia on Saturday began vaccinating thousands of doctors, teachers and others at dozens of centers in Moscow with its Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine, which was approved over the summer after being tested in only a few dozen people.

The excitement in Britain, which has Europe’s highest virus-related death toll at more than 61,000, was palpable.

“Despite the huge complexities, hospitals will kickstart the first phase of the largest scale vaccination campaign in our country’s history from Tuesday,” said Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director.

Patients aged 80 and above who are already attending hospitals as outpatients and those being discharged after a stay in the hospital will be among the first to receive the jab. Hospitals will also start inviting over 80s in for a vaccine shot and will work with nursing homes to book staff into vaccination clinics. Any appointments not taken up will be offered to those health workers deemed to be at the highest risk of COVID-19. Everyone who is vaccinated will need a booster jab 21 days later.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment on speculation that Queen Elizabeth II, 94, and her 99-year-old husband, Prince Philip, will soon be vaccinated and then make it public, a move that could reassure anyone nervous about getting a vaccination.

“Our goal is totally to protect every member of the population, Her Majesty, of course, as well,” Dr. June Raine, chief executive of Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which authorized the vaccine, told the BBC.

The U.K. has secured 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which can cover 20 million people. Since the British government will only immunize people over 16, around 55 million people in the U.K. will be eligible. In total, Britain has procured 357 million doses of seven vaccine candidates, including 100 million of the much cheaper Oxford vaccine, which has a lower efficacy rate than the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Now that the first tranche of the vaccine has arrived from Pfizer’s manufacturing plant in Belgium, checks are being conducted by a specialist medical logistics company to ensure there was no damage in transit. This could take up to a day.

Each box containing the vaccines, which includes five packs of 975 doses, will need to be opened and unpacked manually at specially licensed sites. After that, the vaccines will then be made available to hospitals.

Delivering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is complicated because it needs to be stored at super-chilled temperatures: about minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit). Fortunately, the vaccine is stable at normal refrigerator temperatures, between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius (35.6 to 46.4 F), for a few days, meaning it can be stored locally. After defrosting the vaccine, which takes a few hours, additional time is required to prepare it to be given in a shot.

Public Health England has secured 58 special Twin Guard ultra-low temperature freezers that provide sufficient storage for approximately five million doses. The fridges, which are not portable, each hold around 86,000 doses.

The vaccine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-germany-immunizations-coronavirus-pandemic-3ac7e19981b7937f0f08a29667ddf09e">won’t just be provided by hospitals</a>. Local doctors’ offices and other local health care centers are being put on standby to start delivering the vaccine, with a small number expected to do so the week of Dec. 14. More medical practices in more parts of the country will be phased in during December and in the coming months.

There are plans for vaccination centers treating large numbers of patients in sports areas and conference centers and for local pharmacies to be able to offer the jabs as they do with annual influenza shots.

Although nursing home residents top the prioritization list given to the British government by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, they won’t be getting the vaccinations straight away, as the vaccine packs of 975 doses cannot yet be divided, making it very difficult to deliver vaccines to individual care homes.

The NHS hopes authorities will soon approve a safe way of splitting up the dose packs so the shots can get to nursing homes during December.

During the first phase of the immunization program, Britain has created nine separate groups in its prioritization list down to those aged 50 and above. Overall, it hopes that up to 99% of people most at risk of dying from COVID 19 will have been immunized during the first phase.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600861747887.png" alt="Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Shipments of the coronavirus vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech were delivered Sunday in the U.K. in super-cold containers, two days before it goes public in an immunization program that is being closely watched around the world.Around 800,000 doses of the vaccine were expected to be in place for the start of the immunization program on Tuesday, a day that Health Secretary Matt Hancock has reportedly dubbed as “V-Day,” a nod to triumphs in World War II.“To know that they are here, and we are amongst the first in the country to actually receive the vaccine and therefore the first in the world, is just amazing,” said Louise Coughlan, joint chief pharmacist at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, just south of London.“I’m so proud,” she said after the trust, which runs Croydon University Hospital, took delivery of the vaccine.Last week, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-authorizes-vaccine-emergency-use-ea0170c978eb281a905866e5bd78bbdf">U.K. became the first country to authorize the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine</a>&nbsp;for emergency use. In trials, the vaccine was shown to have around 95% efficacy. Vaccinations will be administered starting Tuesday at around 50 hospital hubs in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also begin their vaccination rollouts the same day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605532171471.png" alt="Photo courtesy Moderna" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Moderna</figcaption>
 </figure>Governments and health agencies around the world will be monitoring the British vaccination program, which will take months, to note its successes and failures and adjust their own plans accordingly. The U.S. hopes to start vaccinations later this month. British regulatory authorities are also examining data on the vaccines from American biotechnology company Moderna and AstraZeneca-Oxford University.Russia on Saturday began vaccinating thousands of doctors, teachers and others at dozens of centers in Moscow with its Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine, which was approved over the summer after being tested in only a few dozen people.The excitement in Britain, which has Europe’s highest virus-related death toll at more than 61,000, was palpable.“Despite the huge complexities, hospitals will kickstart the first phase of the largest scale vaccination campaign in our country’s history from Tuesday,” said Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director.Patients aged 80 and above who are already attending hospitals as outpatients and those being discharged after a stay in the hospital will be among the first to receive the jab. Hospitals will also start inviting over 80s in for a vaccine shot and will work with nursing homes to book staff into vaccination clinics. Any appointments not taken up will be offered to those health workers deemed to be at the highest risk of COVID-19. Everyone who is vaccinated will need a booster jab 21 days later.Buckingham Palace refused to comment on speculation that Queen Elizabeth II, 94, and her 99-year-old husband, Prince Philip, will soon be vaccinated and then make it public, a move that could reassure anyone nervous about getting a vaccination.“Our goal is totally to protect every member of the population, Her Majesty, of course, as well,” Dr. June Raine, chief executive of Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which authorized the vaccine, told the BBC.The U.K. has secured 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which can cover 20 million people. Since the British government will only immunize people over 16, around 55 million people in the U.K. will be eligible. In total, Britain has procured 357 million doses of seven vaccine candidates, including 100 million of the much cheaper Oxford vaccine, which has a lower efficacy rate than the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.Now that the first tranche of the vaccine has arrived from Pfizer’s manufacturing plant in Belgium, checks are being conducted by a specialist medical logistics company to ensure there was no damage in transit. This could take up to a day.Each box containing the vaccines, which includes five packs of 975 doses, will need to be opened and unpacked manually at specially licensed sites. After that, the vaccines will then be made available to hospitals.Delivering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is complicated because it needs to be stored at super-chilled temperatures: about minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit). Fortunately, the vaccine is stable at normal refrigerator temperatures, between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius (35.6 to 46.4 F), for a few days, meaning it can be stored locally. After defrosting the vaccine, which takes a few hours, additional time is required to prepare it to be given in a shot.Public Health England has secured 58 special Twin Guard ultra-low temperature freezers that provide sufficient storage for approximately five million doses. The fridges, which are not portable, each hold around 86,000 doses.The vaccine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-germany-immunizations-coronavirus-pandemic-3ac7e19981b7937f0f08a29667ddf09e">won’t just be provided by hospitals</a>. Local doctors’ offices and other local health care centers are being put on standby to start delivering the vaccine, with a small number expected to do so the week of Dec. 14. More medical practices in more parts of the country will be phased in during December and in the coming months.There are plans for vaccination centers treating large numbers of patients in sports areas and conference centers and for local pharmacies to be able to offer the jabs as they do with annual influenza shots.Although nursing home residents top the prioritization list given to the British government by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, they won’t be getting the vaccinations straight away, as the vaccine packs of 975 doses cannot yet be divided, making it very difficult to deliver vaccines to individual care homes.The NHS hopes authorities will soon approve a safe way of splitting up the dose packs so the shots can get to nursing homes during December.During the first phase of the immunization program, Britain has created nine separate groups in its prioritization list down to those aged 50 and above. Overall, it hopes that up to 99% of people most at risk of dying from COVID 19 will have been immunized during the first phase.

Huge coronavirus vaccine rollout set to begin

WASHINGTON (AP) — With time running out, lawmakers on Sunday closed in on a proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;relief bill that would provide roughly $300 in extra federal weekly unemployment benefits but not another round of $1,200 in direct payments to most Americans, leaving that issue for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President-elect Joe Biden&nbsp;</a>to wrestle over with a new Congress next year.

The $908 billion aid package to be released Monday would be attached to a larger year-end spending bill needed to avert a government shutdown this coming weekend.

The cash payments were popular when they were first distributed after the pandemic hit, and Biden on Friday had expressed hope that a second wave might come after weekend negotiations.

But senators involved in the talks said the checks won’t be included as part of the compromise, even as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and others said that could cause them to oppose the measure.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, indicated that excluding the checks while assuring small-business aid and renters’ assistance was the only way to reach agreement with Republicans who are putting firm limits on the bill’s final price tag.

“The $1,200 check, it cost we believe nationally $300 billion to give you an idea,” he said. “The Democrats have always wanted a larger number, but we were told we couldn’t get anything through the Republicans, except this $900 billion level.”

The plan being worked on by a group of Republican and Democratic senators is less than half of the Democrats’ push of $2.2 trillion and nearly double the $500 billion “targeted” package proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., agreed that a new round of direct checks “may be a go” at some point. “This is not a stimulus bill, it’s a relief bill,” he said. “And it’s something for the next three to four months to help those in greatest need.”

Both he and Durbin said that McConnell has shown interest in the bipartisan effort, and Cassidy said he was hopeful that President Donald Trump would embrace it as well.

The proposal is expected to include about $300 per week in bonus federal unemployment payments, providing relief just as emergency aid payments at regular benefit levels are set to expire at year’s end. It would extend a freeze on evictions for people who cannot pay their rent and reauthorize the Paycheck Protection Program to give a second round of subsidies to businesses struggling through the pandemic.

Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said last week they wouldn’t support the $908 billion proposal if it did not include checks for families, and were joined by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are also against shielding businesses from lawsuits claiming negligence for COVID-19 outbreaks, a provision pushed by Republicans.

While favoring the $1,200 checks, Biden said the emerging compromise was “immediately needed” and that additional assistance could follow later.

On Sunday, lawmakers involved in the negotiations said the direct payments would have to wait until after Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20. At that time, Biden will face a new Congress as vaccines are being distributed, with a narrowed Democratic majority in the House and a closely divided Senate potentially split 50-50 if Democrats are able to prevail in two runoff elections in Georgia on Jan. 5.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said Sanders was not involved in the negotiations and “his characterization is just not accurate” about the potential liability protections for businesses. The direct payments, he said, will be a task for Biden.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said the bipartisan group was focused on extending the most urgent aid for the next four months.

“Every indication says more money is needed; we see that,” he said. “This gets us through basically the lifelines that people need and the small businesses that can survive and not go under.”

Manchin said Biden’s team, when in power, “can put together a different proposal that takes us further down the road for more recovery.”

Durbin spoke on ABC’s “This Week,” Cassidy appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” Warner was on CNN’s “State of the Union” and Manchin was interviewed on NBC’s “Meet the Press.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607307035654.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a weekend news conference-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a weekend news conference-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With time running out, lawmakers on Sunday closed in on a proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;relief bill that would provide roughly $300 in extra federal weekly unemployment benefits but not another round of $1,200 in direct payments to most Americans, leaving that issue for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President-elect Joe Biden&nbsp;</a>to wrestle over with a new Congress next year.The $908 billion aid package to be released Monday would be attached to a larger year-end spending bill needed to avert a government shutdown this coming weekend.The cash payments were popular when they were first distributed after the pandemic hit, and Biden on Friday had expressed hope that a second wave might come after weekend negotiations.But senators involved in the talks said the checks won’t be included as part of the compromise, even as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and others said that could cause them to oppose the measure.Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, indicated that excluding the checks while assuring small-business aid and renters’ assistance was the only way to reach agreement with Republicans who are putting firm limits on the bill’s final price tag.“The $1,200 check, it cost we believe nationally $300 billion to give you an idea,” he said. “The Democrats have always wanted a larger number, but we were told we couldn’t get anything through the Republicans, except this $900 billion level.”The plan being worked on by a group of Republican and Democratic senators is less than half of the Democrats’ push of $2.2 trillion and nearly double the $500 billion “targeted” package proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., agreed that a new round of direct checks “may be a go” at some point. “This is not a stimulus bill, it’s a relief bill,” he said. “And it’s something for the next three to four months to help those in greatest need.”Both he and Durbin said that McConnell has shown interest in the bipartisan effort, and Cassidy said he was hopeful that President Donald Trump would embrace it as well.The proposal is expected to include about $300 per week in bonus federal unemployment payments, providing relief just as emergency aid payments at regular benefit levels are set to expire at year’s end. It would extend a freeze on evictions for people who cannot pay their rent and reauthorize the Paycheck Protection Program to give a second round of subsidies to businesses struggling through the pandemic.Still, potential sticking points remain.Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said last week they wouldn’t support the $908 billion proposal if it did not include checks for families, and were joined by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are also against shielding businesses from lawsuits claiming negligence for COVID-19 outbreaks, a provision pushed by Republicans.While favoring the $1,200 checks, Biden said the emerging compromise was “immediately needed” and that additional assistance could follow later.On Sunday, lawmakers involved in the negotiations said the direct payments would have to wait until after Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20. At that time, Biden will face a new Congress as vaccines are being distributed, with a narrowed Democratic majority in the House and a closely divided Senate potentially split 50-50 if Democrats are able to prevail in two runoff elections in Georgia on Jan. 5.Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said Sanders was not involved in the negotiations and “his characterization is just not accurate” about the potential liability protections for businesses. The direct payments, he said, will be a task for Biden.Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said the bipartisan group was focused on extending the most urgent aid for the next four months.“Every indication says more money is needed; we see that,” he said. “This gets us through basically the lifelines that people need and the small businesses that can survive and not go under.”Manchin said Biden’s team, when in power, “can put together a different proposal that takes us further down the road for more recovery.”Durbin spoke on ABC’s “This Week,” Cassidy appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” Warner was on CNN’s “State of the Union” and Manchin was interviewed on NBC’s “Meet the Press.

No $1,200 check for you in latest virus relief bill 

WICHITA, KAN.&nbsp;– A Kansas man was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Danny Del Real, 31, Dodge City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distributing methamphetamine.

In October 2018, a confidential informant working with the Dodge City Police Department paid Del Real $5,000 to purchase approximately a pound of methamphetamine. When tested, the package contained the equivalent of about eight-tenths of a pound of pure methamphetamine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607033626001.png" alt="Del Real photo Ford Co." />
 <figcaption>Del Real photo Ford Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN.&nbsp;– A Kansas man was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.Danny Del Real, 31, Dodge City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distributing methamphetamine.In October 2018, a confidential informant working with the Dodge City Police Department paid Del Real $5,000 to purchase approximately a pound of methamphetamine. When tested, the package contained the equivalent of about eight-tenths of a pound of pure methamphetamine.

Confidential informant led to Kansas man's drug arrest

KANSAS CITY, KAN.&nbsp;– A man with a prior child sexual exploitation conviction was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. In addition, the defendant was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.

William Lockwood, 41, who lived in Kansas City, Kan., at the time of the crime and now lives in Pleasant Valley, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. The investigation began when Dropbox sent a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

In his plea, Lockwood admitted he uploaded child pornography to the Dropbox account and provided access to other users.

Investigators seized 26 videos of child sexual abuse from Lockwood’s account. In 2012, Lockwood was convicted in Collier County, Fla., on a charge of obscene communication for the purpose of luring a child for sex.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599167940260.png" alt="Lockwood-photo Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Lockwood-photo Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN.&nbsp;– A man with a prior child sexual exploitation conviction was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. In addition, the defendant was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.William Lockwood, 41, who lived in Kansas City, Kan., at the time of the crime and now lives in Pleasant Valley, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. The investigation began when Dropbox sent a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In his plea, Lockwood admitted he uploaded child pornography to the Dropbox account and provided access to other users.Investigators seized 26 videos of child sexual abuse from Lockwood’s account. In 2012, Lockwood was convicted in Collier County, Fla., on a charge of obscene communication for the purpose of luring a child for sex.

Tip leads to sex offender's arrest in Kansas, prison sentence

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an altercation that sent a suspect to the hospital and then to jail.

Just before 9a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to a disturbance call in the 200 block of North Spring Street in Caney, Kansas, according to a media release.

At the scene, officers discovered one man&nbsp; who was heavily intoxicated and suffering from head injuries he sustained during an altercation in the home. 

The suspect was identified as Terry Mitchell, 65, Copan Oklahoma. 

There was a female victim in the home, who had been assaulted by Mitchell during an argument.  At some point during the altercation the victim defended herself by striking Mitchell in the head with a glass vase, resulting in injuries to Mitchell.

Officers arrested Mitchell for Battery, Disorderly Conduct, and Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.

Mitchell remained combative and was taken to Labette Health in Independence Kan. for evaluation prior to being taken to jail.  Independence P.D. assisted at the hospital with controlling Mitchell until he was placed in the County Jail. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607098615257.png" alt="The visible injuries in Mitchell's booking photo were sustained prior to officers arrival at the home, according to police." />
 <figcaption>The visible injuries in Mitchell's booking photo were sustained prior to officers arrival at the home, according to police.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an altercation that sent a suspect to the hospital and then to jail.Just before 9a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to a disturbance call in the 200 block of North Spring Street in Caney, Kansas, according to a media release.At the scene, officers discovered one man&nbsp; who was heavily intoxicated and suffering from head injuries he sustained during an altercation in the home. The suspect was identified as Terry Mitchell, 65, Copan Oklahoma. There was a female victim in the home, who had been assaulted by Mitchell during an argument. At some point during the altercation the victim defended herself by striking Mitchell in the head with a glass vase, resulting in injuries to Mitchell.Officers arrested Mitchell for Battery, Disorderly Conduct, and Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.Mitchell remained combative and was taken to Labette Health in Independence Kan. for evaluation prior to being taken to jail. Independence P.D. assisted at the hospital with controlling Mitchell until he was placed in the County Jail.

Suspect in assault of Kan. woman taken from hospital to jail

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A hearing is set for Feb. 4 to determine whether defeated Rep. Steve Watkins will face a trial on charges of felony election fraud and other crimes.

The Republican congressman for eastern Kansas had initially faced his first appearance in state district court Thursday in Topeka on three felony charges arising from his listing a postal box at a UPS Inc. store as his residence on a state voter registration form. But Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said Watkins’ attorney sought beforehand to schedule a hearing to determine whether Kagay’s office has enough evidence to warrant a trial.

Neither Watkins nor his attorney appeared at the courthouse Thursday. His attorney didn’t immediately return a telephone message Thursday evening seeking comment. Watkins has called the charges “bogus.”

Kagay, also a Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9d6046fd12875b3664cf8388708105e8">filed charges</a>&nbsp;three weeks before Kansas’ primary election in August. Watkins&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-politics-elections-business-topeka-43776f9e6a0d4cd6ea07ab802a548f8d">lost his primary race</a>&nbsp;to State Treasurer Jake LaTurner, who won the seat in November.

Watkins is accused of voting illegally in a Topeka City Council race in November 2019 and of trying to mislead a sheriff’s detective investigating whether he broke state election laws. Watkins’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/07b5cc37067da9b23bd489a8e6eaddbe">corrected voter-registration address</a>&nbsp;was an apartment outside the City Council district that includes the UPS store.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591476738251.png" alt="Photo courtesy Rep. Steve Watkins" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rep. Steve Watkins</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A hearing is set for Feb. 4 to determine whether defeated Rep. Steve Watkins will face a trial on charges of felony election fraud and other crimes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575500685589.png" alt="The UPS store Watkins used to get his mail-google image" />
 <figcaption>The UPS store Watkins used to get his mail-google image</figcaption>
 </figure>The Republican congressman for eastern Kansas had initially faced his first appearance in state district court Thursday in Topeka on three felony charges arising from his listing a postal box at a UPS Inc. store as his residence on a state voter registration form. But Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said Watkins’ attorney sought beforehand to schedule a hearing to determine whether Kagay’s office has enough evidence to warrant a trial.Neither Watkins nor his attorney appeared at the courthouse Thursday. His attorney didn’t immediately return a telephone message Thursday evening seeking comment. Watkins has called the charges “bogus.”Kagay, also a Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9d6046fd12875b3664cf8388708105e8">filed charges</a>&nbsp;three weeks before Kansas’ primary election in August. Watkins&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-politics-elections-business-topeka-43776f9e6a0d4cd6ea07ab802a548f8d">lost his primary race</a>&nbsp;to State Treasurer Jake LaTurner, who won the seat in November.Watkins is accused of voting illegally in a Topeka City Council race in November 2019 and of trying to mislead a sheriff’s detective investigating whether he broke state election laws. Watkins’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/07b5cc37067da9b23bd489a8e6eaddbe">corrected voter-registration address</a>&nbsp;was an apartment outside the City Council district that includes the UPS store.

Kan. congressman faces hearing on alleged election fraud

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-03/why-the-kansas-national-guard-ramped-down-as-covid-ramped-up">Kansas News Service</a>

The Kansas National Guard 
conducted 28,000 COVID-19 tests and distributed almost 40,000 cases of 
protective masks, gloves and gowns. Guardsmen have also packaged a 
staggering 8 million meals. But even as hospitals fill with COVID-19 
patients and deaths mount, the guard's pandemic mission is going the 
other direction.

Col. Michael Venerdi, director of Joint Staff for
 the Kansas National Guard, says the pandemic mission has stretched 
throughout most of the year.

"The mission's ramping down from a total of 670 at the maximum capacity of this event, to today, just the 117," says Venerdi.

Across
 the country, state guards have downsized their pandemic operations. At 
the peak, more than 47,000 guardsmen were actively fighting the pandemic
 across the country. Now just 21,000 are on the mission.

There are
 three major reasons for the decline: improved local response, questions
 about funding, and a need for guardsmen with medical expertise at home.

For
 instance, Venerdi says that state and local agencies have taken over 
much of the work the guard picked up on an emergency basis earlier in 
the pandemic.

"That's a good example of the community stepping up 
and finding permanent solutions as opposed to the temporary solution 
that really our soldiers and airmen can provide," says Venerdi.

While
 hospitals are filling up with COVID patients in many parts of the 
country, the guard's ability to help with hospital staffing is limited.

Brig.
 Gen. Nick Ducich, vice director for operations with the National Guard 
Bureau in Washington, says doctors and nurses in the guard are already 
fighting the pandemic.

"The vast majority of our medical 
professionals actually currently serve in the hospitals and medical care
 facilities existing. So we'd only compound the problem if we were to 
pull them, pull them out and utilize them in a different way," says 
Ducich.

There's another problem coming up. Federal funding and the
 presidential authorization for the guard's pandemic mission expires at 
the end of the month. 

"The current mission assignment ends 31 
December," says Ducich. "So without an extension, the soldiers' and 
airmen's orders will end, and that's part of the reason you see a 
decline in the number serving."

Ducich expects more funding to 
come through. Roy Robinson, a retired brigadier general, who runs the 
National Guard Association of the United States, isn't so sure.

"It's a real issue," warns Robinson. "We've come to the edge of this cliff three or four times in the last 10 months."

Guard
 troops coming off pandemic duty need two weeks to quarantine, so 
Robinson says time is running out to reauthorize the mission.

Even
 if the guard can't do much to back up doctors and nurses, there is 
plenty left to do, including the herculean task of vaccinating as many 
Americans as possible.

"We've never had to immunize the number of 
people at one time and within such a short period of time as we will 
have to do for COVID-19," says Trina Sheets, executive director of the 
National Emergency Management Association.

Sheets says many state 
emergency managers are banking on National Guard to help with the 
vaccination effort. "All of the States are well underway with their 
planning for the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccines, and there is a
 clear role for the National Guard to play," says Sheets.

Kansas 
Governor Laura Kelly and most other governors have formally requested an
 extension of federal funding. Still, there's been little indication 
from the Trump administration about whether that will happen. 
President-elect Joe Biden promises to fund the missions once he takes 
office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607011034872.png" alt="Kansas National Guard troops use a helicopter bucket to fight wildfires in November. This year state National Guards have faced unprecedented duties as they have dealt with natural disasters, overseas deployments and the pandemic. Kansas National Guard" />
 <figcaption>Kansas National Guard troops use a helicopter bucket to fight wildfires in November. This year state National Guards have faced unprecedented duties as they have dealt with natural disasters, overseas deployments and the pandemic. Kansas National Guard</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-03/why-the-kansas-national-guard-ramped-down-as-covid-ramped-up">Kansas News Service</a>The Kansas National Guard 
conducted 28,000 COVID-19 tests and distributed almost 40,000 cases of 
protective masks, gloves and gowns. Guardsmen have also packaged a 
staggering 8 million meals. But even as hospitals fill with COVID-19 
patients and deaths mount, the guard's pandemic mission is going the 
other direction.Col. Michael Venerdi, director of Joint Staff for
 the Kansas National Guard, says the pandemic mission has stretched 
throughout most of the year."The mission's ramping down from a total of 670 at the maximum capacity of this event, to today, just the 117," says Venerdi.Across
 the country, state guards have downsized their pandemic operations. At 
the peak, more than 47,000 guardsmen were actively fighting the pandemic
 across the country. Now just 21,000 are on the mission.There are
 three major reasons for the decline: improved local response, questions
 about funding, and a need for guardsmen with medical expertise at home.For
 instance, Venerdi says that state and local agencies have taken over 
much of the work the guard picked up on an emergency basis earlier in 
the pandemic."That's a good example of the community stepping up 
and finding permanent solutions as opposed to the temporary solution 
that really our soldiers and airmen can provide," says Venerdi.While
 hospitals are filling up with COVID patients in many parts of the 
country, the guard's ability to help with hospital staffing is limited.Brig.
 Gen. Nick Ducich, vice director for operations with the National Guard 
Bureau in Washington, says doctors and nurses in the guard are already 
fighting the pandemic."The vast majority of our medical 
professionals actually currently serve in the hospitals and medical care
 facilities existing. So we'd only compound the problem if we were to 
pull them, pull them out and utilize them in a different way," says 
Ducich.There's another problem coming up. Federal funding and the
 presidential authorization for the guard's pandemic mission expires at 
the end of the month. "The current mission assignment ends 31 
December," says Ducich. "So without an extension, the soldiers' and 
airmen's orders will end, and that's part of the reason you see a 
decline in the number serving."Ducich expects more funding to 
come through. Roy Robinson, a retired brigadier general, who runs the 
National Guard Association of the United States, isn't so sure."It's a real issue," warns Robinson. "We've come to the edge of this cliff three or four times in the last 10 months."Guard
 troops coming off pandemic duty need two weeks to quarantine, so 
Robinson says time is running out to reauthorize the mission.Even
 if the guard can't do much to back up doctors and nurses, there is 
plenty left to do, including the herculean task of vaccinating as many 
Americans as possible."We've never had to immunize the number of 
people at one time and within such a short period of time as we will 
have to do for COVID-19," says Trina Sheets, executive director of the 
National Emergency Management Association.Sheets says many state 
emergency managers are banking on National Guard to help with the 
vaccination effort. "All of the States are well underway with their 
planning for the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccines, and there is a
 clear role for the National Guard to play," says Sheets.Kansas 
Governor Laura Kelly and most other governors have formally requested an
 extension of federal funding. Still, there's been little indication 
from the Trump administration about whether that will happen. 
President-elect Joe Biden promises to fund the missions once he takes 
office.

Why the Kansas National Guard ramped down as COVID ramped up

SEATTLE (AP) — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has vowed to fight the rapid sale of the National Archives facility in Seattle in court, saying it’s “outrageous” that there wasn’t more public notice given about an Oct. 1 meeting where federal officials fast-tracked the process.

The 10-acre site contains the history of 272 federally recognized tribes, including drafts of many tribal treaties, and only a tiny fraction of the material has been digitized, The Seattle Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sale-of-seattle-national-archives-property-rushed-ferguson-suing/">reported</a>&nbsp;Saturday.

The trove of documents is important to members of Pacific Northwest and Alaskan tribes, who will now have to travel hundreds of miles to Southern California or Kansas City to view them.

The five-member federal Public Buildings Reform Board made the decision to close the facility in January after it concluded that the 73-year-old building had “a deferred maintenance backlog of $2.5 million,” and that its annual maintenance costs were $357,000.

Under an accelerated timeline determined at the October meeting, a real estate contract will be awarded this month and the property will be sold by spring. The archives will be moved to facilities in Riverside, California, and Kansas City, Missouri.

Ferguson told the newspaper Friday that he was disgusted by the lack of transparency in the process and plans to sue “anyone in the decision-making in the sale of the property.”

His office is already in the midst of another lawsuit over the archives, this one over documents it has yet to receive.

“It’s the most common courtesy to give heads up to our office, or to the public. It’s outrageous," he said.

The archives here has about a million boxes of documents and is the repository of all federal records generated in the Pacific Northwest, and includes military, land, court, tax and census papers.

Already, the National Archives facility in Anchorage was closed in 2016, and those millions of documents went to Seattle. Now those seeking Alaska records would have to travel even farther.

Yakama Nation Chairman Delano Saluskin said “this is the first I heard” about the Oct. 1 virtual meeting. It was held by the little-known, five-person Public Buildings Reform Board, charged with finding excess federal property and putting it up for bids.

Jeromy Sullivan, chairman of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, said he first heard of the Oct. 1 meeting when Ferguson sent out an email Friday.

Adam Bodner, executive director or the buildings board, said the public meeting was listed on the agency’s website, the Federal Register and that congressional offices and “different subcommittee staff” were informed.

Ferguson’s office said the plan was listed simply as an “update” on the board’s website and was listed under such an obscure title that almost no one not directly involved would have realized its importance.

The facility was one of 12 surplus properties identified by the board. The original plan was to sell them individually but the board also voted in that meeting to sell the properties as a “portfolio” due to the pandemic and a challenging real estate market.

Ferguson’s office is already involved in one lawsuit against three federal agencies filed under the federal public records law asking for documents on the decision to sell the Seattle property.

On Friday, his office asked a federal court in Seattle for permission to file a summary judgment that would force the three agencies to turn over documents.

The agencies has asked the court to delay their response until March, he said, but under the new timeline the property will likely already be sold by then.

Some U.S. lawmakers also slammed the decision and expressed hope that President-elect Joe Biden's administration will intervene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607264514991.png" alt="Photo courtesy National Archives" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy National Archives</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has vowed to fight the rapid sale of the National Archives facility in Seattle in court, saying it’s “outrageous” that there wasn’t more public notice given about an Oct. 1 meeting where federal officials fast-tracked the process.The 10-acre site contains the history of 272 federally recognized tribes, including drafts of many tribal treaties, and only a tiny fraction of the material has been digitized, The Seattle Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sale-of-seattle-national-archives-property-rushed-ferguson-suing/">reported</a>&nbsp;Saturday. The trove of documents is important to members of Pacific Northwest and Alaskan tribes, who will now have to travel hundreds of miles to Southern California or Kansas City to view them.The five-member federal Public Buildings Reform Board made the decision to close the facility in January after it concluded that the 73-year-old building had “a deferred maintenance backlog of $2.5 million,” and that its annual maintenance costs were $357,000.Under an accelerated timeline determined at the October meeting, a real estate contract will be awarded this month and the property will be sold by spring. The archives will be moved to facilities in Riverside, California, and Kansas City, Missouri.Ferguson told the newspaper Friday that he was disgusted by the lack of transparency in the process and plans to sue “anyone in the decision-making in the sale of the property.”His office is already in the midst of another lawsuit over the archives, this one over documents it has yet to receive.“It’s the most common courtesy to give heads up to our office, or to the public. It’s outrageous," he said.The archives here has about a million boxes of documents and is the repository of all federal records generated in the Pacific Northwest, and includes military, land, court, tax and census papers.Already, the National Archives facility in Anchorage was closed in 2016, and those millions of documents went to Seattle. Now those seeking Alaska records would have to travel even farther.Yakama Nation Chairman Delano Saluskin said “this is the first I heard” about the Oct. 1 virtual meeting. It was held by the little-known, five-person Public Buildings Reform Board, charged with finding excess federal property and putting it up for bids.Jeromy Sullivan, chairman of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, said he first heard of the Oct. 1 meeting when Ferguson sent out an email Friday.Adam Bodner, executive director or the buildings board, said the public meeting was listed on the agency’s website, the Federal Register and that congressional offices and “different subcommittee staff” were informed.Ferguson’s office said the plan was listed simply as an “update” on the board’s website and was listed under such an obscure title that almost no one not directly involved would have realized its importance.The facility was one of 12 surplus properties identified by the board. The original plan was to sell them individually but the board also voted in that meeting to sell the properties as a “portfolio” due to the pandemic and a challenging real estate market.Ferguson’s office is already involved in one lawsuit against three federal agencies filed under the federal public records law asking for documents on the decision to sell the Seattle property.On Friday, his office asked a federal court in Seattle for permission to file a summary judgment that would force the three agencies to turn over documents.The agencies has asked the court to delay their response until March, he said, but under the new timeline the property will likely already be sold by then.Some U.S. lawmakers also slammed the decision and expressed hope that President-elect Joe Biden's administration will intervene.

Lawsuit could delay move of archive documents to Kansas City

By JENNIFER M. LATZKE <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/who-s-watching-the-kids/article_e3c68c54-2832-11eb-b0e2-3ffba77e61f7.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1605895220&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=headline">High Plains Journal</a>

Economic development directors and 
community leaders have raised the alarm for years about a checklist of 
infrastructure improvements that will drive business development in 
rural areas. Topics such as reliable high-speed internet access; 
affordable and quality housing; healthy public school systems and 
available health care are the keys to thriving communities. These, they 
say, will attract job hunters looking for a slice of small-town life to 
raise families and grow towns. But there’s one item on the checklist 
that’s been overlooked for far too long.

Who’s watching the kids while their parents are at their rural jobs?

It’s
 a simple question, but for Simone Elder, answering it causes her to 
pause. Finding regular child care for her infant daughter, Juliette, in 
Leoti, Kansas, in rural Wichita County, has been a challenge. With just 
one state licensed provider in the county, who doesn’t take infants, 
Simone and her husband, Levi, have had to rely on a network of family 
and friends to help care for their daughter while both work in town.

“We
 wanted kids so bad,” she said. “It took us five years to get our 
daughter. And when I found out I was pregnant I started praying that I 
could find someone to watch her when I went back to work. All nine 
months I searched. And she’s 3 months old and we’re still searching.”

In
 2017, Kansas parents like the Elders welcomed 36,464 new babies into 
their families, according to the Kansas Department for Children and 
Families and Child Care Aware of Kansas, the administrator of the 
statewide Child Care Resource and Referral network in the state. The 
agencies release supply and demand data annually for child care in the 
state.

They survey four general
 types of child care providers. There are individual and group home 
providers, where a maximum of 10 to 12 children under 16 years of age 
are taken care of in a provider’s private home. Then there are child 
care centers, which are roughly defined as a separate facility where 
care and educational activities are provided for 13 or more children. 
And finally, there are preschools, Kansas Head Start and Early Head 
Start programs, which provide care and learning experiences for toddlers
 up to kindergarten-age children and service low-income children and 
their families.

Their 2019 report showed that there are 
18 counties in Kansas that do not have openings for infants and toddlers
 in licensed facilities, and Wichita County is on that list. The same 
report stated that statewide communities lost 501 home child care 
providers since 2016. And while child care centers are increasing in 
number, there are still 38% of Kansas counties that do not have child 
care centers in their community. In those communities the need is filled
 by home providers, many of whom are nearing retirement age, according 
to many experts in the field.

“In
 77% of Kansas counties, there are more than 10 children, under 3 years 
of age, that potentially need care for each reported child care 
opening,” according to Child Care Aware of Kansas. In six counties in 
the state, for every one child care opening, there are 40 on a waiting 
list. Families like the Elders wait for those precious openings.

Marci
 Penner, executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, is on the 
Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Child Care Licensing 
Systems Improvement Team. Penner said stories like the Elders’ are not 
unfamiliar.

“In one place, 
around Marshall County, one family takes two kids to two different 
places because there aren’t enough openings at one provider,” she said. 
“We’ve heard of a 3-year-old riding on a bus to go to a preschool 15 
miles away.” But the issue is larger than availability.

Taking
 care of children is more than just being a babysitter. High-quality 
early childhood programs help children at the most productive stage of 
their development. Children make more than a million neural connections 
each second from birth to age 3.

“With
 over 90% of a child’s brain architecture developed by age 5, there is 
no time to lose; our efforts to prepare young Kansans for success hinge 
on this critical early period of life,” according to the Kansas Early 
Childhood Systems Building Needs Assessment that was released January 
2020.

Research has shown that 
high-quality early childhood programs and experiences directly lead to 
better educational outcomes, more high school graduates, higher lifetime
 salaries and levels of employment and overall a return on investment to
 their communities.

Many 
parents want to place children in programs and facilities that offer 
quality early learning, but with limited licensed providers in 
communities, you take what you can get.

One mother in rural southwest Kansas 
preferred to speak off the record because she was afraid she’d lose her 
child’s placement in a provider. With no openings at the one licensed 
provider in her small town, she was forced to use an unlicensed provider
 until a spot came open. When it did, she sent her kids for about two 
weeks before taking them out and sending them back to her unlicensed 
friend of the family. Unlicensed providers are an open secret in many 
rural areas that lack licensed openings.

“There
 have been two in-home daycares I wouldn’t allow to watch my children,” 
this mother said. “Because they aren’t of the quality that I would 
expect and I wouldn’t trust the level of care. So, I bent the rules and 
found people that I did trust and did feel good about.” She said her 
friends in more urban locations would share photos or stories on social 
media about their toddlers’ activities at daycare, like sensory play, 
letter recognition, story time and more, and she would be frustrated 
because none of that was available to her children in her small town.

“Our
 rural kids are missing out on a lot of early childhood development 
opportunities because of the lack of high-quality child care options,” 
she added. “I was desperate for any decent care. I was never able to be 
picky about what they did beyond basic care.” While her own family and 
economic situation allows her to fill in those development gaps with 
bedtime stories and weekend family outings, she said low-income 
families, single parents and those parents with less education aren’t 
able to do the same. It costs money to provide for a child’s future, and
 that only widens the opportunity gap, she added.

But
 that quality education comes at a cost. Providers who want to go to 
school for early childhood education often have to repay student loans, 
but rural child care centers can’t afford high salaries if they’re going
 to keep the service affordable for families.&nbsp; The Bureau of Labor 
Statistics says the average wage for child care workers is $10.72 per 
hour, and nearly 15% of them live in households with an annual income 
below the federal poverty line. It’s no wonder that the industry sees 
staff turnover rates as high as 25% and that there are few if any new 
providers willing to step up and fill gaps left by retiring providers in
 their communities.

According to the Kansas Needs Assessment
 Report, the average annual cost of full-time care in a child care 
center in the state ranges from $9,430 for preschool-aged children to 
$10,955 for infants, or about 20% of the state median household income. 
That cost drops to about $6,749 for in-home providers or 13% of the 
state median household income.

Single parents of infants and toddlers in Kansas can expect to pay 48.7% of their annual income in child-care costs.

That
 doesn’t leave a lot leftover for saving for retirement, paying down 
student loan debt, buying a house or saving for those very children’s 
college funds—let alone providing for a decent standard of living.

Brook
 Diel-Keast and her husband live and work in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. She
 was a convenience store owner and manager for seven years and is now a 
bank branch manager. Her husband has worked in the oilfield and in 
farming among other jobs. Like many families, they watch their finances 
and work to plan for the future. But paying well over $300 to $400 per 
week for two boys in home child care slowed down their financial goals, 
she said. They chose for one of them to stay home with their boys before
 trying for a third child, based on the financial burden.

Working
 parents feel the financial sting from missing work in order to pick up 
and drop off children at day care. Child Care Aware reports that child 
care issues leading to absenteeism and tardiness in the workforce cost 
$28.9 billion in wages each year.

Flexibility
 in the workplace is the one constant that many parents cite as helping 
them manage their child care needs and their careers.

Megan
 Macy now works from home as a marketing specialist for Sterilex. She 
used to be the director of public relations at the Kansas Department of 
Agriculture and then was a communications specialist at Kansas State 
Research and Extension. When her daughter, Camille, was born, she had a 
30-minute one-way commute from her office to Camille’s day care 
provider. To meet her provider’s pickup deadline, she had to leave work 
before 5 p.m. She said having great bosses has helped her juggle work 
and family.

“I believe being 
able to juggle family right now, and really in general, is completely 
dependent on how compassionate and understanding your boss is,” she 
said. Even so, there were times when she’s had to bring Camille into 
work with her when she was sick or had a doctor’s appointment. It was 
either that, she said, or take off a day or a half day.

Child
 Care Aware says Macy isn’t alone. They reported that over a 6-month 
period, 45% of parents are absent from work at least once due to child 
care breakdowns, such as a provider who is sick or closed or a child who
 is sick themselves. Parents miss an average of 4.3 days of work, just 
because of child care complications.

For
 rural parents who work shifts in packing plants or in other large 
industrial jobs, the challenge of a non-standard workday schedule also 
creates problems for child care. Joann Knight, Dodge City and Ford 
County economic development director, works with the county’s two 
meatpacking plants and other agricultural and industrial employers. She 
said it’s not unusual for couples who both work shifts to take different
 shifts so that one or the other can stay with their children at all 
times. Still, many providers only offer their services between 7 a.m. to
 5 p.m., and requiring strict drop-off and pick-up times. For a shift 
worker with a nonstandard schedule, it’s a struggle to accommodate child
 care, but throw in a sick child or a provider who has to quarantine 
because of COVID-19 exposure and it becomes downright impossible.

Ultimately, though, it’s not just families who feel the sting. It’s their rural employers as well.

The child care gap not only affects families and the development of children, but it also hits businesses’ bottom lines.

In
 2019, Child Care Aware estimated that United States businesses lost 
about $4.4 billion each year due to employee absenteeism as a result of 
child care breakdowns. Often parents are using up their vacation, 
personal time off and sick days in order to take care of their children.
 The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that only 16% of civilian 
workers have access to paid family leave benefits, and 3 in 10 U.S. 
mothers return to work within two months of their babies’ birth.

The
 stats are even tougher for young, low-income mothers with lower levels 
of education, who return to work earlier to pay bills.

The
 Center for Law and Social Policy found nearly 80% of workers earning 
less than $15,000 per year and half of workers earning between $15,000 
and $34,999 per year do not receive paid leave. Many of those are the 
type of jobs that keep rural communities going—gas station clerks, 
grocery store workers, restaurant workers and more.

Rural
 businesses need minimum wage employees. Rural communities need 
professionals to staff their schools, hospitals and offices. But 
recruiting them is more than just offering them higher wages.

Child
 Care Aware reported that 54% of employers stated that having adequate 
child care services reduced missed workdays by as much as 30% and access
 to reliable child care can reduce employee turnover by 60%. And women 
who receive assistance for child care costs are 40% more likely to still
 be in the job two years later. That bodes well for a business’s bottom 
line and the community as a whole.

Considering
 what’s at stake, figuring out child-care solutions for rural working 
families has to be part of the infrastructure plans for economic 
development. It’s a question that needs an answer if rural communities 
are going to thrive now and into the future.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605900977621.png" alt="Photo by Kylene Scott" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Kylene Scott</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Who’s watching the kids?</h2>By JENNIFER M. LATZKE <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/who-s-watching-the-kids/article_e3c68c54-2832-11eb-b0e2-3ffba77e61f7.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1605895220&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=headline">High Plains Journal</a>Economic development directors and 
community leaders have raised the alarm for years about a checklist of 
infrastructure improvements that will drive business development in 
rural areas. Topics such as reliable high-speed internet access; 
affordable and quality housing; healthy public school systems and 
available health care are the keys to thriving communities. These, they 
say, will attract job hunters looking for a slice of small-town life to 
raise families and grow towns. But there’s one item on the checklist 
that’s been overlooked for far too long.Who’s watching the kids while their parents are at their rural jobs?<h2>Availability</h2>It’s
 a simple question, but for Simone Elder, answering it causes her to 
pause. Finding regular child care for her infant daughter, Juliette, in 
Leoti, Kansas, in rural Wichita County, has been a challenge. With just 
one state licensed provider in the county, who doesn’t take infants, 
Simone and her husband, Levi, have had to rely on a network of family 
and friends to help care for their daughter while both work in town.“We
 wanted kids so bad,” she said. “It took us five years to get our 
daughter. And when I found out I was pregnant I started praying that I 
could find someone to watch her when I went back to work. All nine 
months I searched. And she’s 3 months old and we’re still searching.”In
 2017, Kansas parents like the Elders welcomed 36,464 new babies into 
their families, according to the Kansas Department for Children and 
Families and Child Care Aware of Kansas, the administrator of the 
statewide Child Care Resource and Referral network in the state. The 
agencies release supply and demand data annually for child care in the 
state.They survey four general
 types of child care providers. There are individual and group home 
providers, where a maximum of 10 to 12 children under 16 years of age 
are taken care of in a provider’s private home. Then there are child 
care centers, which are roughly defined as a separate facility where 
care and educational activities are provided for 13 or more children. 
And finally, there are preschools, Kansas Head Start and Early Head 
Start programs, which provide care and learning experiences for toddlers
 up to kindergarten-age children and service low-income children and 
their families.Their 2019 report showed that there are 
18 counties in Kansas that do not have openings for infants and toddlers
 in licensed facilities, and Wichita County is on that list. The same 
report stated that statewide communities lost 501 home child care 
providers since 2016. And while child care centers are increasing in 
number, there are still 38% of Kansas counties that do not have child 
care centers in their community. In those communities the need is filled
 by home providers, many of whom are nearing retirement age, according 
to many experts in the field.“In
 77% of Kansas counties, there are more than 10 children, under 3 years 
of age, that potentially need care for each reported child care 
opening,” according to Child Care Aware of Kansas. In six counties in 
the state, for every one child care opening, there are 40 on a waiting 
list. Families like the Elders wait for those precious openings.Marci
 Penner, executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, is on the 
Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Child Care Licensing 
Systems Improvement Team. Penner said stories like the Elders’ are not 
unfamiliar.“In one place, 
around Marshall County, one family takes two kids to two different 
places because there aren’t enough openings at one provider,” she said. 
“We’ve heard of a 3-year-old riding on a bus to go to a preschool 15 
miles away.” But the issue is larger than availability.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605901075309.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>QualityTaking
 care of children is more than just being a babysitter. High-quality 
early childhood programs help children at the most productive stage of 
their development. Children make more than a million neural connections 
each second from birth to age 3.“With
 over 90% of a child’s brain architecture developed by age 5, there is 
no time to lose; our efforts to prepare young Kansans for success hinge 
on this critical early period of life,” according to the Kansas Early 
Childhood Systems Building Needs Assessment that was released January 
2020.Research has shown that 
high-quality early childhood programs and experiences directly lead to 
better educational outcomes, more high school graduates, higher lifetime
 salaries and levels of employment and overall a return on investment to
 their communities.Many 
parents want to place children in programs and facilities that offer 
quality early learning, but with limited licensed providers in 
communities, you take what you can get.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605901120286.png" alt="Photo by Kylene Scott" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Kylene Scott</figcaption>
 </figure>One mother in rural southwest Kansas 
preferred to speak off the record because she was afraid she’d lose her 
child’s placement in a provider. With no openings at the one licensed 
provider in her small town, she was forced to use an unlicensed provider
 until a spot came open. When it did, she sent her kids for about two 
weeks before taking them out and sending them back to her unlicensed 
friend of the family. Unlicensed providers are an open secret in many 
rural areas that lack licensed openings.“There
 have been two in-home daycares I wouldn’t allow to watch my children,” 
this mother said. “Because they aren’t of the quality that I would 
expect and I wouldn’t trust the level of care. So, I bent the rules and 
found people that I did trust and did feel good about.” She said her 
friends in more urban locations would share photos or stories on social 
media about their toddlers’ activities at daycare, like sensory play, 
letter recognition, story time and more, and she would be frustrated 
because none of that was available to her children in her small town.“Our
 rural kids are missing out on a lot of early childhood development 
opportunities because of the lack of high-quality child care options,” 
she added. “I was desperate for any decent care. I was never able to be 
picky about what they did beyond basic care.” While her own family and 
economic situation allows her to fill in those development gaps with 
bedtime stories and weekend family outings, she said low-income 
families, single parents and those parents with less education aren’t 
able to do the same. It costs money to provide for a child’s future, and
 that only widens the opportunity gap, she added.But
 that quality education comes at a cost. Providers who want to go to 
school for early childhood education often have to repay student loans, 
but rural child care centers can’t afford high salaries if they’re going
 to keep the service affordable for families.&nbsp; The Bureau of Labor 
Statistics says the average wage for child care workers is $10.72 per 
hour, and nearly 15% of them live in households with an annual income 
below the federal poverty line. It’s no wonder that the industry sees 
staff turnover rates as high as 25% and that there are few if any new 
providers willing to step up and fill gaps left by retiring providers in
 their communities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605901162969.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Affordability</h2>According to the Kansas Needs Assessment
 Report, the average annual cost of full-time care in a child care 
center in the state ranges from $9,430 for preschool-aged children to 
$10,955 for infants, or about 20% of the state median household income. 
That cost drops to about $6,749 for in-home providers or 13% of the 
state median household income.Single parents of infants and toddlers in Kansas can expect to pay 48.7% of their annual income in child-care costs.That
 doesn’t leave a lot leftover for saving for retirement, paying down 
student loan debt, buying a house or saving for those very children’s 
college funds—let alone providing for a decent standard of living.Brook
 Diel-Keast and her husband live and work in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. She
 was a convenience store owner and manager for seven years and is now a 
bank branch manager. Her husband has worked in the oilfield and in 
farming among other jobs. Like many families, they watch their finances 
and work to plan for the future. But paying well over $300 to $400 per 
week for two boys in home child care slowed down their financial goals, 
she said. They chose for one of them to stay home with their boys before
 trying for a third child, based on the financial burden.Working
 parents feel the financial sting from missing work in order to pick up 
and drop off children at day care. Child Care Aware reports that child 
care issues leading to absenteeism and tardiness in the workforce cost 
$28.9 billion in wages each year.Flexibility
 in the workplace is the one constant that many parents cite as helping 
them manage their child care needs and their careers.Megan
 Macy now works from home as a marketing specialist for Sterilex. She 
used to be the director of public relations at the Kansas Department of 
Agriculture and then was a communications specialist at Kansas State 
Research and Extension. When her daughter, Camille, was born, she had a 
30-minute one-way commute from her office to Camille’s day care 
provider. To meet her provider’s pickup deadline, she had to leave work 
before 5 p.m. She said having great bosses has helped her juggle work 
and family.“I believe being 
able to juggle family right now, and really in general, is completely 
dependent on how compassionate and understanding your boss is,” she 
said. Even so, there were times when she’s had to bring Camille into 
work with her when she was sick or had a doctor’s appointment. It was 
either that, she said, or take off a day or a half day.Child
 Care Aware says Macy isn’t alone. They reported that over a 6-month 
period, 45% of parents are absent from work at least once due to child 
care breakdowns, such as a provider who is sick or closed or a child who
 is sick themselves. Parents miss an average of 4.3 days of work, just 
because of child care complications.For
 rural parents who work shifts in packing plants or in other large 
industrial jobs, the challenge of a non-standard workday schedule also 
creates problems for child care. Joann Knight, Dodge City and Ford 
County economic development director, works with the county’s two 
meatpacking plants and other agricultural and industrial employers. She 
said it’s not unusual for couples who both work shifts to take different
 shifts so that one or the other can stay with their children at all 
times. Still, many providers only offer their services between 7 a.m. to
 5 p.m., and requiring strict drop-off and pick-up times. For a shift 
worker with a nonstandard schedule, it’s a struggle to accommodate child
 care, but throw in a sick child or a provider who has to quarantine 
because of COVID-19 exposure and it becomes downright impossible.Ultimately, though, it’s not just families who feel the sting. It’s their rural employers as well.The bottom lineThe child care gap not only affects families and the development of children, but it also hits businesses’ bottom lines.In
 2019, Child Care Aware estimated that United States businesses lost 
about $4.4 billion each year due to employee absenteeism as a result of 
child care breakdowns. Often parents are using up their vacation, 
personal time off and sick days in order to take care of their children.
 The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that only 16% of civilian 
workers have access to paid family leave benefits, and 3 in 10 U.S. 
mothers return to work within two months of their babies’ birth.The
 stats are even tougher for young, low-income mothers with lower levels 
of education, who return to work earlier to pay bills.The
 Center for Law and Social Policy found nearly 80% of workers earning 
less than $15,000 per year and half of workers earning between $15,000 
and $34,999 per year do not receive paid leave. Many of those are the 
type of jobs that keep rural communities going—gas station clerks, 
grocery store workers, restaurant workers and more.Rural
 businesses need minimum wage employees. Rural communities need 
professionals to staff their schools, hospitals and offices. But 
recruiting them is more than just offering them higher wages.Child
 Care Aware reported that 54% of employers stated that having adequate 
child care services reduced missed workdays by as much as 30% and access
 to reliable child care can reduce employee turnover by 60%. And women 
who receive assistance for child care costs are 40% more likely to still
 be in the job two years later. That bodes well for a business’s bottom 
line and the community as a whole.Considering
 what’s at stake, figuring out child-care solutions for rural working 
families has to be part of the infrastructure plans for economic 
development. It’s a question that needs an answer if rural communities 
are going to thrive now and into the future.Republished with permission

Rural communities and families struggle to find child care options

MOLINE ACRES, Mo. (AP) — A&nbsp; police officer died Saturday after he was struck by a patrol car from another police department during a traffic stop.

Moline Acres police Chief Col. Gregory Moore said that one of his officers died Saturday after he was struck by a Bellefontaine Neighbors patrol car that had arrived to help in the traffic stop early Saturday morning.

The vehicle was stopped by police because it was reported stolen, Moore said, but he declined to provide many other details.

The Pagedale police department said in a Facebook post that the officer who died was Sgt. Herschel Turner, who had previously worked for the Pagedale department. A Missouri State Highway Patrol report identified Turner, 54, as the victim in the crash that happened around 12:30 a.m. Saturday. The report said Turner died shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday.

A nonprofit group that supports families of first-responder who have died, Backstoppers Inc., said in a statement that Turner was a 22-year law enforcement veteran who was married and had three daughters.

MOLINE ACRES, Mo. (AP) — A&nbsp; police officer died Saturday after he was struck by a patrol car from another police department during a traffic stop.Moline Acres police Chief Col. Gregory Moore said that one of his officers died Saturday after he was struck by a Bellefontaine Neighbors patrol car that had arrived to help in the traffic stop early Saturday morning.The vehicle was stopped by police because it was reported stolen, Moore said, but he declined to provide many other details.The Pagedale police department said in a Facebook post that the officer who died was Sgt. Herschel Turner, who had previously worked for the Pagedale department. A Missouri State Highway Patrol report identified Turner, 54, as the victim in the crash that happened around 12:30 a.m. Saturday. The report said Turner died shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday.A nonprofit group that supports families of first-responder who have died, Backstoppers Inc., said in a statement that Turner was a 22-year law enforcement veteran who was married and had three daughters.

Police officer dies after being struck while on a traffic stop

WICHITA, KAN.&nbsp;–&nbsp;A Kansas woman was sentenced today to more than 11 years (135 months) in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

April Lunsford, 39, Paola, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The case began when the Kansas Bureau of Investigation started looking into a trafficking organization that was distributing methamphetamine in the Kansas City, Kan., area. Lunsford sold methamphetamine four times to buyers working undercover for law enforcement.

During the investigation, Lunsford was arrested and charged in Miami County District Court in connection with the death of 23-year-old Heather Briggs. Lunsford pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 98 months in state prison.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607103888113.png" alt="Lunsford photo Miami Co." />
 <figcaption>Lunsford photo Miami Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN.&nbsp;–&nbsp;A Kansas woman was sentenced today to more than 11 years (135 months) in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.April Lunsford, 39, Paola, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The case began when the Kansas Bureau of Investigation started looking into a trafficking organization that was distributing methamphetamine in the Kansas City, Kan., area. Lunsford sold methamphetamine four times to buyers working undercover for law enforcement.During the investigation, Lunsford was arrested and charged in Miami County District Court in connection with the death of 23-year-old Heather Briggs. Lunsford pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 98 months in state prison.

Kansas woman sentenced for drug deal death

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former Kansas Highway Patrol officers are suing after taking a stand against alleged sexual harassment and then being pushed out of the agency.

Former majors Scott Harrington and Josh Kellerman sued in federal court, the Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20201205/fired-kansas-highway-patrol-majors-allege-lsquohostile-work-environmentrsquo-retaliation-in-federal-suit" target="_blank">reported</a>. They allege they faced retaliation for helping female staffers file sexual harassment complaints against top Highway Patrol officers.

Harrington resigned under pressure this year. Kellerman was demoted and then fired.

A Kansas Highway Patrol spokesperson declined to comment, citing the pending lawsuit.

A spokesperson for Gov. Laura Kelly told the newspaper that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-1a599c097994a0ac217372433dd055b7">an investigation</a>&nbsp;ordered by her office found that the sexual harassment allegations were unsubstantiated and that the governor stands by Highway Patrol leaders.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former Kansas Highway Patrol officers are suing after taking a stand against alleged sexual harassment and then being pushed out of the agency.Former majors Scott Harrington and Josh Kellerman sued in federal court, the Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20201205/fired-kansas-highway-patrol-majors-allege-lsquohostile-work-environmentrsquo-retaliation-in-federal-suit" target="_blank">reported</a>. They allege they faced retaliation for helping female staffers file sexual harassment complaints against top Highway Patrol officers.Harrington resigned under pressure this year. Kellerman was demoted and then fired.A Kansas Highway Patrol spokesperson declined to comment, citing the pending lawsuit.A spokesperson for Gov. Laura Kelly told the newspaper that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-1a599c097994a0ac217372433dd055b7">an investigation</a>&nbsp;ordered by her office found that the sexual harassment allegations were unsubstantiated and that the governor stands by Highway Patrol leaders.

Former Kansas Highway Patrol officers sue over firing

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have made an arrest.

Just after 5p.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;responded to a report of a robbery of a pizza delivery driver, according to Lt. Ron Ekis.

The 32-year-old male delivery driver reported he attempted to deliver pizza to an address in the 600 block of SE Lake in Topeka when an adult male suspect armed with a gun robbed him of food. 

Police were able to locate the suspect identified as&nbsp;28-year-old Simeon D. Perdue and take him into custody without incident.

Perdue was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated robbery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607091242744.png" alt="Perdue-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Perdue-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have made an arrest.Just after 5p.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;responded to a report of a robbery of a pizza delivery driver, according to Lt. Ron Ekis.The 32-year-old male delivery driver reported he attempted to deliver pizza to an address in the 600 block of SE Lake in Topeka when an adult male suspect armed with a gun robbed him of food. Police were able to locate the suspect identified as&nbsp;28-year-old Simeon D. Perdue and take him into custody without incident.Perdue was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated robbery.

Kan. man took pizza at gunpoint from delivery driver 

KANSAS CITY – Nineteen defendants, primarily from the&nbsp; Kansas City and Columbia, Missouri areas have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a $1.2 million insurance fraud conspiracy that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents, according to the United State Attorney's office.

Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 32, and Latoya Marie Brown, 35, who resided in Columbia and in the Kansas City area; Lauren Courtney Luque, 34, Michael Jadon Carter, 30, Tiera Rachell Wallace, 38, Lanay Deshawn Wallace, 26, Dylan James Danielsson, 26, Larell Montez Banks, 27, Kathy Davvy Kimhang, 29, Michael Lee Gene Stapleton, 34, and Cedrick Shawndale Goldman, 44, all of Columbia; Matthew Stephen Akins, 32, who resided in Columbia and Fulton, Mo.; Michael Stuart Smith, 34, Taron Donte Ford, 35, Dontay Laray Campbell, 31, and Eriona Tyjaez Fleeks, 28, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Cornelius Deshawn Phelps, 35, who resided in Kansas City and Lee’s Summit, Mo.; Tara Colleen Jackson, 57, of Independence, Mo.; and Maurice Frank Penny, 37, of St. Louis, Mo., were charged in a 69-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Nov. 18, 2020.&nbsp;

The superseding indictment was unsealed and made public Wednesday upon the arrests and initial court appearances of several defendants. The superseding indictment replaces an indictment returned on Aug. 19, 2020, which originally charged only Lawhorn and Luque with eight counts related to the fraud conspiracy.

The federal indictment charges all 19 defendants with participating in a conspiracy that defrauded six insurance companies of a total of $1,234,581 from June 2017 to July 2020. Conspirators allegedly submitted false claims that they had suffered bodily injuries and that they would be personally liable for any medical bills related to insurance claims. 

Conspirators, some of whom were involved in multiple incidents, received thousands of dollars, and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars, based on these false claims. According to the indictment, however, none of the conspirators made any payments to medical providers and instead used the funds for their personal expenses.

Lawhorn was directly involved in two incidents in which he received separate payments of $1,500 and $17,350 from insurance companies, the indictment says. In eight additional incidents, Lawhorn allegedly sent emails to insurance companies, made telephone calls to insurance companies, directed others what to tell insurance companies, reviewed insurance policies prior to incidents, witnessed release agreements, and assumed the identity of parties to the incidents or people related to parties to these incidents in communication with insurance companies.

Luque (with whom Lawhorn was in a romantic relationship), Jackson (who is Lawhorn’s mother), Carter, Banks, and Stapleton each received fraudulent insurance payments of $50,000 or more, according to the indictment. Lawhorn also was in romantic relationships with Kimhang and Brown, who has a child in common with Lawhorn. Brown was involved in three incidents, the indictment says, and received a total of $44,269 in insurance payments. Kimhang received a fraudulent insurance payment of $18,429, according to the indictment.

In addition to the wire fraud conspiracy, most of the defendants are charged with participating in a mail fraud conspiracy. Lawhorn and Carter are also charged together in a money-laundering conspiracy. The indictment also charges various defendants in 38 counts of wire fraud, six counts of attempted wire fraud, and 20 counts of mail fraud. Lawhorn is also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. Lawhorn and Luque are also charged together in one count of aggravated identity theft.

KANSAS CITY – Nineteen defendants, primarily from the&nbsp; Kansas City and Columbia, Missouri areas have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a $1.2 million insurance fraud conspiracy that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents, according to the United State Attorney's office.Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 32, and Latoya Marie Brown, 35, who resided in Columbia and in the Kansas City area; Lauren Courtney Luque, 34, Michael Jadon Carter, 30, Tiera Rachell Wallace, 38, Lanay Deshawn Wallace, 26, Dylan James Danielsson, 26, Larell Montez Banks, 27, Kathy Davvy Kimhang, 29, Michael Lee Gene Stapleton, 34, and Cedrick Shawndale Goldman, 44, all of Columbia; Matthew Stephen Akins, 32, who resided in Columbia and Fulton, Mo.; Michael Stuart Smith, 34, Taron Donte Ford, 35, Dontay Laray Campbell, 31, and Eriona Tyjaez Fleeks, 28, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Cornelius Deshawn Phelps, 35, who resided in Kansas City and Lee’s Summit, Mo.; Tara Colleen Jackson, 57, of Independence, Mo.; and Maurice Frank Penny, 37, of St. Louis, Mo., were charged in a 69-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Nov. 18, 2020.&nbsp;The superseding indictment was unsealed and made public Wednesday upon the arrests and initial court appearances of several defendants. The superseding indictment replaces an indictment returned on Aug. 19, 2020, which originally charged only Lawhorn and Luque with eight counts related to the fraud conspiracy.The federal indictment charges all 19 defendants with participating in a conspiracy that defrauded six insurance companies of a total of $1,234,581 from June 2017 to July 2020. Conspirators allegedly submitted false claims that they had suffered bodily injuries and that they would be personally liable for any medical bills related to insurance claims. Conspirators, some of whom were involved in multiple incidents, received thousands of dollars, and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars, based on these false claims. According to the indictment, however, none of the conspirators made any payments to medical providers and instead used the funds for their personal expenses.Lawhorn was directly involved in two incidents in which he received separate payments of $1,500 and $17,350 from insurance companies, the indictment says. In eight additional incidents, Lawhorn allegedly sent emails to insurance companies, made telephone calls to insurance companies, directed others what to tell insurance companies, reviewed insurance policies prior to incidents, witnessed release agreements, and assumed the identity of parties to the incidents or people related to parties to these incidents in communication with insurance companies.Luque (with whom Lawhorn was in a romantic relationship), Jackson (who is Lawhorn’s mother), Carter, Banks, and Stapleton each received fraudulent insurance payments of $50,000 or more, according to the indictment. Lawhorn also was in romantic relationships with Kimhang and Brown, who has a child in common with Lawhorn. Brown was involved in three incidents, the indictment says, and received a total of $44,269 in insurance payments. Kimhang received a fraudulent insurance payment of $18,429, according to the indictment.In addition to the wire fraud conspiracy, most of the defendants are charged with participating in a mail fraud conspiracy. Lawhorn and Carter are also charged together in a money-laundering conspiracy. The indictment also charges various defendants in 38 counts of wire fraud, six counts of attempted wire fraud, and 20 counts of mail fraud. Lawhorn is also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. Lawhorn and Luque are also charged together in one count of aggravated identity theft.

19 indicted for $1.2 Million insurance fraud conspiracy

By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-04/lenexa-business-loses-bid-to-recover-coronavirus-related-losses-from-insurer">Kansas News Service</a>

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a family-owned Lenexa 
business seeking to recover coronavirus-related financial losses from 
its insurance company.

U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson ruled 
that Sportsman Cap &amp; Bag’s “all-risk” policy covering direct losses 
to its property only covers “material changes” or “intrusions” onto the 
property that render it unusable.

The ruling by Robinson, a 
federal judge in Kansas City, Kansas, runs counter to two recent 
decisions by a federal judge in Kansas City, Missouri, in similar cases 
against the defendant, The Cincinnati Insurance Co.

In August, U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough denied Cincinnati’s motions to dismiss a case brought by <a href="https://studio417salon.com/" target="_blank">Studio 417</a>, an operator of hair salons in Springfield, Missouri, and in a separate case brought by <a href="https://kchopps.com/" target="_blank">K.C. Hopps</a>, a Kansas City restaurant group.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607187418731.png" alt="Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Sportsman Cap &amp; Bag, a family-owned company since 1937, had projected $100 million in sales this year. Dan Margolies&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Sportsman Cap &amp; Bag, a family-owned company since 1937, had projected $100 million in sales this year. Dan Margolies&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-04/lenexa-business-loses-bid-to-recover-coronavirus-related-losses-from-insurer">Kansas News Service</a>A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a family-owned Lenexa 
business seeking to recover coronavirus-related financial losses from 
its insurance company.U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson ruled 
that Sportsman Cap &amp; Bag’s “all-risk” policy covering direct losses 
to its property only covers “material changes” or “intrusions” onto the 
property that render it unusable.The ruling by Robinson, a 
federal judge in Kansas City, Kansas, runs counter to two recent 
decisions by a federal judge in Kansas City, Missouri, in similar cases 
against the defendant, The Cincinnati Insurance Co.In August, U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough denied Cincinnati’s motions to dismiss a case brought by <a href="https://studio417salon.com/" target="_blank">Studio 417</a>, an operator of hair salons in Springfield, Missouri, and in a separate case brought by <a href="https://kchopps.com/" target="_blank">K.C. Hopps</a>, a Kansas City restaurant group.Bough found that both Studio 417 and K.C. Hopps had adequately stated claims of physical loss.Bough’s
 rulings represented some of the first favorable outcomes for 
policyholders among more than 1,000 business interruption lawsuits that 
have been filed by businesses against their insurers throughout the 
country.In other cases, judges have found in favor of the 
insurance companies, ruling like Robinson that coronavirus-related 
losses do not count as damage to property and therefore are not 
triggered by all-risk policies covering “direct loss.”Insurers 
contend such policies were never intended to cover financial losses 
related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Being forced to pay out such claims, 
they say, could ruin the industry.Patrick Stueve, who represents 
Sportsman Cap &amp; Bag, said he is reviewing options following 
Robinson’s dismissal of the case, including a possible appeal.Stueve
 also represents the hair salons and restaurants in the cases before 
Bough, which are now scheduled to go to trial in mid-2022.Sportsman Cap &amp; Bag <a href="https://www.kcur.org/economy/2020-04-27/family-owned-lenexa-business-bought-all-risk-insurance-policy-and-is-now-suing-to-get-its-payout-from-covid-19-pandemic" target="_blank">alleged in its suit</a>
 against Cincinnati that stay-at-home orders aimed at curbing the spread
 of the coronavirus had a “devastating effect” on its business. Before 
the pandemic struck, the company said it was on track to gross more than
 $100 million this year.It said the stay-at-home orders issued by
 government authorities earlier this year prevented employees from 
showing up to work, causing a loss of nearly 95% of its sales.Sportsman’s
 predecessor company, Pioneer Cap Company, was founded by Abe Yeddis, 
who sold it in 1970 and started Promotional Headwear Inc. a few years 
later. The company operates under the name Sportsman Cap &amp; Bag and 
sells custom promotional hats, bags and other marketing merchandise.Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;